Automatic car-brake



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet 1.

J. B. GATHRIGHT.

AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE. No. 353,672. Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. B. GATHRIGHT.

AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE.

No. 353,672. Patented Dec. '7, 1886.

@1515 his @Houmu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH B. GATHRIGHT, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

AUTOMATIC CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,672, dated December7, 1886.

Application filed April 10. 1886. Serial No. 198,445. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that l, JOSIAH B. GATHRIGHT, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticCar-Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of devices which are designed toapply the brakes to car-wheels by the act of slackening the speed of theengine; and its object is to provide means whereby the brakes will beautomatically wound on when the car draw-bars are retracted to theirnormal position or pushed in, and automatically released when thedrawbars are drawn out in starting and pulling the car; means wherebythe brake mechanism will automatically adjust itself whenever the traincomes to a standstill to allow the train to be backed; means whereby thebrakes will automatically be applied to the rear section whenever thetrain breaks in two; means whereby the brakes will be automaticallyapplied with a degree of force proportionate to the load of the car, andmeans whereby the brakes willbe automatically applied with a degree offorce proportionate to the speed of the train; also, means whereby thebrake mechanism will be effectual,whether the train is being drawnforward or pushed backward, and means whereby the brake devices areoperative without change or adjustment, with either end of the cartoward the front of .the train, and all this to be accomplished bymerely starting, slowing, stopping, or reversing the motion of theengine, acting through the medium of the drawbars of the cars, or someequivalent to the drawbar having sliding motion similar thereto.

To this end myinvention consistsin the construction and combination ofparts forming an automatic car-brake,hereinafter described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isan inverted plan view of a car, showing my invention attached to one ofthe trucks and adapted to operate the ordinary hand-brakes on the othertruck. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the principal parts of my invention on alarger scale, the upper bolster being left off to give full view of thetop of the under bolster and the devices thereon. a detail, part inelevation and part in vertical section transverse to the car. Fig. 4shows a modification in which an additional clutch is used, permittingthe two disks forming the friction-clutch to remain in constant contact.Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of a sleeve on a portion of an axle.Fig. 6 shows in perspective one half portion of one of the disks whichform the friction-clutch. Fig. 7 shows in perspective a removablewearing-plate for the clutch.

A represents an inverted car; 13 B, the bolsters of the trucks; 0, thewheels; F, the axles of an ordinary freight-car.

D represents a pair of common hand-brakes, having the usual chain andwinding-wheel, D.

E represents common draw-bars fitted to slide longitudinally when actedupon to pull or push the ear.

The axles F frequently taper toward their centers, and as some portionsof my invention must be attached to an axle and slide longitudinallythereon, a sleeve, G, is provided in halves to fit upon the taperingaxle, and form a cylinder with parallel sides for the parts to workupon. This sleevealso protects the axle from wear, and is used uponstraight axles" also. This sleeve and all other parts which I placearound the axle are formedin halves, so that they'may be applied toaxles already in use.

H and I are the mated disks of a frictionelutch, of which H is rigidlyclamped upon the sleeve G to revolve with the axle, and the mate I isfitted to revolve on the sleeve. The mate I is provided with a hubhaving one groove, J, wherein the brake-chain K may be wound, andanother groove, L, which is engaged by the shifter-lever M, whereby themate I may be forced against the mate H, to be revolved thereby,or heldaway from it to remain at rest.

\Vhen the disk I with its hub is revolved either way by its frictionaladherence to H,the chain K is wound upon the hub, to which one end ofthe chain is fastened, while the otherv end is connected with abrake-lever, preferably one in common with the hand windingchain, andapplies the brakes. The winding Fig.3shows ICO of either chain onlyslackens the other, and hence neither interferes with the other, andthey simply co-operate if both are wound at the same time. Theshifter-lever M is pivoted at M to the lower bolster, B, or to a platesecured thereto, and it is constantly impelled to apply the brakesby'the pressure of the spring N. This pressure is proportioned to theweight of the load in'the car by the inclined or wedge-like relation ofspring N to lever M, as shown in Fig. 3. This spring N is secured to abracket, N, on the upper bolster, and when this bolster is presseddownward by the load in the car the springs between the two bolstersyield and the spring N is wedged more forcibly against the side of thelever M. When the load is removed,it is retractedand the pressurediminished. The initial force of the spring N against the lever may beadjusted by a set-screw, N, passing through a bracket, N and abuttingagainst the back of the spring. The spring 0 also presses the lever M bypressing the hub in which the clutch end of the lever is engaged, andadds its force to the frictional adherence of the disks when the brakesare applied. The pressure of this spring is automatically increased inproportion to the speed of the train by the centrifugal levers S and S,as hereinafter described.

The impulse of the springs N and O to apply the brakes is controlled byone or more pairs of double or mated levers, P, pivoted at P to bracketson the bolster B, and provided with rollers P, journaled between themates of each of the double levers P, to impinge against a side or sidesof lever M and control its motion. One of the levers P is connected withone draw-bar E by means of a stiff rod, E, and the other lever P issimilarly connected with the opposite draw-bar of the same-car. Thelever M is notched on its edges at Miand Q is a switch pivotedconcentric with lever M, and having two projections, R, shaped to tillthe two notches M when the switch is closed. When this switch is open,the rollers P enter these notches if the levers P are thrust back, thusreleasing lever M and permitting the disks to come in contact and applythe brakes; but when the switch is closed the side faces of lever M arerestored to astraight line, whereon the rollers P will travel andactuate lever M to separate the disks, the same when thrust back as whendrawn forward.

The rollers P are so placed in levers. P that when the latter are intheir normal position at right angles to lever M, as seen in Fig. 2, therollers P do not impinge against the sides of lever M, thus leaving thelever M to be actuated by the springs to apply the brake; but whenlevers P are drawn out the rollers P will describe a short are, as shownin dotted line, and, striking the side of lever M, will separate thedisks/and release the brakes. The same effect would be produced bypushing inwardly the lever P if the switch is closed, as the rollerswould travel on the outer edge of the closed segment of gear-teeth, 0,upon its inner end,

switch and actuate the shifting-lever. Therefore when the switch isclosed the train may be backed; but when the switch is open andthelevers P are pushed back the rollers P pass into the notches and thebrakes are applied; hence it is necessary that when the train is inmotion the switch should be open, or in condition for applying thebrakes; but when the train is at rest the switch shouldbe closed, or incondition for backing. I have therefore adaptedacommon centrifugalgovernor to hold the switch permanently open when the car is in motion,and a spring to close it when the car stops. I use two of thesegovernors, S and S. They are pivoted at a in a collar, b, which isfirmly clamped upon the sleeve G, to revolve with the axle F. Eachgovernor has a and these engage racks cl, which are pivoted between thejaws of a collar, 6, having a groove engaged by a shifter-lever, j,which ispivoted at g to a bracket on the bolster B.

h is a rod connecting the opposite end ofleverf with the switch Q.

Thespring O bears between the collars (or washersfl and c, which in turnbear against the ends of the racksd and the hub of the disk I, thusserving the double purpose of pressing disk'I against disk H, and ofpressing back the racks d to close the switch Q and the governors S.

The operation is as follows: When the car is at rest,the governors areclosed, the switch is closed, and levers P stay at their'normalposition, as seen in Fig. 2. In this position of the levers P therollers P leave M free and the brakes are on. Now,if the train bestarted the draw-bars will be drawn out, and by the rod E will open outthe levers P, and these, by their rollers P, will act upon the lever Mand hold the disks apart and release the brakes. The train being now inmotion, the governor-balls are thrown out by centrifugal force, and thesegment-teeth working in the racks d draw 'the collar 6 toward fixedcollar 1), and thus by the shifter-lever) open the switch Q and keep itopen while the train continues in motion. At the same time the raeksdare forced against the loose collar or washer iand ,compress the spring0, thus increasing its pressure against disk I as the speed increases.If, now, the speed of the engine be slackened, so that the draw-bars areretracted or pushed in, the rods E and thelevers P, with their rollers Pgare carried back thereby, and when P reaches the normal position shownin Fig. 2 it no longer restrains lever M, the springs N and 0 force thedisks I against disk H, and the brakes are wound on. The train being inmotion and the switch open, no amount of backward thrust from thedraw-barswill release the brakes, as the rollers I pass into theswitch-notches of lever M, and thus can exert no force against thelever, so the brakes remain on until the train is stopped. The spring 0now reacts and closes the switch by pushing back the racks and c01ernors upon the axle again. If, now, it be desired to back the train,the engineer pulls forward, as usual, to open out his train. Thismovement insures the withdrawal of the rollers P from the switch-notchesand the closing of the switch on every car. The train may then be backedwithout interference from the brakes, as the rollers P will now strikeon the outer edge of the switch-points and actuate the lever M, thusthrowing apart and keeping apart the disks I and H. In backing, therollers P" will ride upon the switches and keep them closed, and as thegovernors will be forced out in case any speed is attained, and willexert their force to open the switches, the rear end of lever f is madeflexible, to absorb the motion imparted by the governors and pre ventbreakage. To apply the brakes when backing, the engineer slows hisengine sufficiently' to draw rollers P off the switch ends and allow thegovernors to open the switches. Now the speed of the engine should beincreased enough to push in the draw-bars,,when the rollers P" willenter theswitch-notehes, re lease lever M, and allow springs N and S toapply the brakes. The rods E should be so adjusted in length that whenthe draw-bars are in their normal position (i. 0., where their springswill retract them after having been pulled out or pushed back) therollers P will rest, as seen in Fig. 2,just in front of theswitch-notches. This position of the rollers allows the brakes to go on,and hence it a train breaks into two parts the draw-bars of the rearsection will naturally be retracted by their springs to their normalposition, as described above, and the brakes will go on, and the switchbeing open will remain on, no matter how far back the draw-bars arejammed. As the brakes are normally 011 by reason of the constantpressure of springs N and 0, they will alway remain on until released,and hence will always hold a train, even on asteep grade, until theengineer releases them by a forward or backward movement of the engine.It will thus be seen that after my brake is once adjusted to a car it isperfectly automatic under all circumstances. To compensate for wear,each disk may be provided with a flange, k, and a radial rib, Z, Fig. 6,and wear-plates (shown by Fig. 7) made to fit within the flange it.These plates, which may be of any suitable material, are preferablysecured to the disks by bolts,- one bolt being in each half of the disk,the sectional line of the plates being at right angles to that of thedisks. The plates are rabbeted along this line, so that their edges maylap over the rib Z and form a close joint. The ribs merely prevent theplates from turning in the disks or straining the bolts, and are notabsolutely necessary. The disk-faces may be perfectly plain andpermitted to wear upon each other, or a leather disk may be placed between them, and will form an excellent frictionsurface and wear alongtime ifdust be kept from the leather. For that purpose I have devised amodified form for the clutch devices, as shown in Fig. 4. In this case alug, p, is clamped rigidly upon the sleeve G, while both disks workloosely upon the sleeve. The lever M. engages the groove L and holds thedisks away from the clutch p, or allows the springs to force themtogether when the brakes are to be applied, in which case the'notch rengages lug 1), locking the disk t, when the parts will Operate the sameas in former arrangement. This arrangement keeps the two disksconstantly pressed upon the intermediate leather disk and excludes dust,&C. The red It is secured to switch Q by bolt through a slot in Q, whichadmits of adjustment to compensate for wear of other parts, and thejoint of the rod h with lever f is also provided with a series ofpin-holes for the same purpose. There may be one or more washers at theends of spring 0 to give more freedom of motion and reduce friction.When the brakes are fully applied, one disk will slip upon the other,but with great resistance, thereby offering additional resistance to themotion of the car.

To get the full benefit of my invention the draw-bars, or theirequivalents, should be re tracted by springs; buta common slidingdrawbar with out sp rings will ans werevery purpose, except that thebrake will be less apt to go on promptly when a train breaks in two. Thelevers P may be pivoted to either bolster and stand perpendicular tolever M, working in notches on the sides of the lever, the positionbeing similar to that of spring-bar N, but on opposite side of lever M.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination ofthe disk H, fixed on the axle, the disk I, free onthe axle and provided with a grooved hub, a shifter-lever, M, pivoted toone of the truckbolsters and engaging the said groove, and a spring, N,fixed to the other bolster of the same truck in an inclined position tobear against the lever M, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the brake-operating lever M, pivoted to onebolster, and the spring N, fixed to the other bolster and communicatingwith the lever M by a slanting or \vedging contact-surface,substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination of.the brake-operating lever M, pivoted to onebolster, and the slanting spring N, fixed to the other bolster andbearing its slanting face against thesaid lever M, substantially asshown and described.

t. The combination,with car-wheels, brakes therefor, and truck bolsters,of a frictionclutch comprising a securable and a loose disk on thewheelaxle, a shifter-lever pivoted to one of the bolsters and fitted toengage the loose disk, and having switclrnotches in its sides, aretaining lever or levers pivoted to the bolster and crossing the lineof the shifter-lever, a rollerjournaled to the retaining-lever to engagethe shifter-levernearaswitch-notch, a switch pivoted on theshifter-lever and having projections shaped to fill the saidswitchnotches, a spring bearing against the shifterlever on the side toengage the disks of the.

clutch, a chain connecting the loose disk with thebrake-lever, acentrifugal governor mounted on the axle, and connections between thesaid governor and the switch, substantially as shown and described.

.5. The combination of the shifter-lever M, having notches M in itssides and pivoted to a car, the switch Q, pivoted to the lever M andhaving projections B to fit the notches M, a spring, N, bearing againsttheside of the lever M, and a lever or levers, P. pivoted to the car andprovided with rollers P to engage the lever M in opposition to theaction of the spring N, substantially as shown and described.

6. The combination of the lever M, having notches M the switch Q,pivoted thereto and provided with projections B to engage the saidnotches, and the levers P, hung at right angles to the lever M andprovided with rollers P substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, with the shifter-lever M, the switch Q, and theaxleF, of the collar b, rigidly fixed upon the axle, the centrifugal arms S,pivoted in the said collar b and having segments of gear-teeth c, theracks d, fitted to engage the said segments and to slide 1ongitudinallythrough the collar b, the grooved collar 6, connecting the racks d, thelever f, pivoted to afixture of the car and engaging the groove of thecollar e, the rod h, connecting the lever. f with the switch Q, and thespring 0, mounted on the axle, substantially as shown and described. i

8. The combination, with the shifter-lever M, provided withswitch-notches in its sides, and a retainer, 1?, adapted to bear alongthe switch side of the lever, of a switch, Q, having projectionsR,shaped to fill the said notches, and means, substantially as described,for opening and closing the-switch, as and for the purpose specified.

9. The combination, with the bolsters B B,

of the shifting-lever M, pivoted to the bolster B, the bracket N,secured to the bolster B, the slahting spring N, secured to the bracketN and bearingagainst the lever M, and the set-screw N in the bracket Nand bearing against the back of thespring N, substantially as shownanddescribed.

10. The combination, in an automatic car brake, of an axle, afriction-clutch thereon,a

fixed collar, 1), also on said axle, centrifugal levers S, pivoted to,collar 6, and provided with segments of gear-teeth, the rack d,en-

gaged by the'segment-gear on said levers, and spring 0, interposedbetween the ends of said racks and the loose disks of the clutch,wherebythe centrifugal force of the levers S willincrease the spring-pressureto apply the brakes with a degree of force proportionate to the speed ofthe train, substantially as shown and described.

11. The combination, with the axle F,"the

disk H, rigidly mounted thereon, the disk I,

provided with grooves J and L, and freely mounted on the axle, thecentrifugal governormounted on the axle, and the spring 0, actingbetween the disk I and the racks, of the governor, substantially asshown-and described, whereby the spring 0 performs the double office offorcing the disk I into engagement with the disk H and of retracting thearms of the governor and closing the switch.

12. The combination of the disks H or I,

provided with flanges k and radial ribs Z, and

the shoes m, fitted to rest'within the said flange, as and for thepurpose set forth.

13. The combination, in an automaticcarbrake, of an axle, F, afriction-clutch therein,

a brake-chai'mK, attached to the loose disk of the clutch, ashifter-lever, M, engaging a grooved collar on said loose disk, a leveror levers, 1?,t0 control lever M, a spring, N,'bearing against lever M,rods E, and draw-bars E, as shown and described.

14:. The combination, in an automatic carbrake, of an axle, afriction-clutch therein, a spring on the axle pressing constantlyagainst the loose disk of the clutch, a shifter-lever controlling theloose disk against the action of said spring, and a lever or levers forcontrolling the shifter-lever, as shown and described.

15. In an automatic car-brake, the combination of an axle, F, disks HandI, forming afriction-clutch, with or without a lug, p, a shifterlever,M, controlling-leversP, and connectingrods E, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSIAH B. GATHRIGHT.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. BRADEN, WALTER WALKER. 7

